{"id":9609,"date":"2018-01-15T09:57:51","date_gmt":"2018-01-15T08:57:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/passodue.flywheelsites.com\/2018\/01\/15\/sales-forecasts\/"},"modified":"2024-02-23T10:59:42","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T09:59:42","slug":"sales-forecasts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diariodiunconsulente.it\/en\/2018\/01\/15\/sales-forecasts\/","title":{"rendered":"Sales forecasts: rear-view mirror or a lens pointed forwards?"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Alberto Aleo<\/a> and Alice Alessandri<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

This is the period when companies have the last chance to commit their sales force to drafting goals for the coming year. It is an important time when organizations rediscover their entrepreneurial spirit by reconsidering their vision of the world and their ability to give and receive trust<\/a>. Like a period of entrepreneurial adolescence that comes around every 12 months.<\/span><\/p>\n

As consultants we\u2019re often involved in guiding and suggesting the best methods to carry out this vital task; there is no doubt that the sales target underpins any subsequent strategic and operational forecast made by the Company.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In our experience, there are two ways to approach this process: one that we will call \u201cin reverse\u201d and the other that we will call \u201cexploratory”.<\/em><\/span>
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In the first case, companies start by analyzing the previous year to define a \u201cgrowth\u201d percentage<\/span> that is in line with the company\u2019s economic and financial needs and objectives. This approach involves directors and managers in three main stages:<\/span><\/p>\n